1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to medical decision support systems and, more particularly, to computer-implemented systems and methods for integrating biomedical information and supporting medical decision-making.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Modern biotechnology and medical imaging techniques provide various types of information. For example, medical imaging is generally recognized as important for diagnosis and patient care. In recent years, medical imaging has experienced an explosive growth due to advances in imaging modalities such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). These imaging modalities provide noninvasive methods to study internal organs in vivo.
Clinical practice, biomedical research and individualized treatment may be improved by integrating heterogeneous biomedical information. There is a need for database-guided decision support systems for clinicians built upon heterogenous biomedical data resources. For example, systems and methods for integrative medical decision support may accelerate the prevention, detection and cure of cancer.
An integrated healthcare decision support platform for colon cancer, for example, may lead to improved colon cancer diagnosis and treatment. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of death among cancer patients in the United States. Colon cancer emerges via a multi-step progression at both the molecular and the morphologic levels. It develops as the result of the progressive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations that lead to the transformation of normal colonic epithelium to adenocarcinoma.
To identify the genetic and epigenetic alterations in the disease's progress will provide further targets for the development of new therapies for the prevention and treatment of colon tumors throughout their progression from normal epithelium to adenocarcinoma. Preliminary studies of gene expression levels from colon cancer treatment outcomes indicate that the response of drug and treatment is diverse and heterogeneous. Given the complex and heterogeneous nature of colon cancer, integrated healthcare decision support systems built upon heterogenous biomedical data resources may have a revolutionary effect on cancer clinical practice by leading to a personalized, safer and more efficient approach to medication.
Systems and methods are needed for data integration, fusion, and decision support based on heterogeneous data sources, such as diverse clinical/biomedical data sources.